The Bay Area in California has more "web designers" per square mile than anywhere else in the world. This is good for the customer, as you have a greater choice, but it can also be a bad thing as so many of them have the skill to build a site, but not the vision to make sure its successful.
Following is some information on the different type of web designers you are likely to come across in the Bay Area.
There are four types of web designers in the bay Area:
Below we will explain the benefits and pit falls of each of these designers
The professional design company
If you have a good-sized budget and your needs are specific, it is always best to go with professional web design. A professional web design company will not just try to please the client, but it will also make sure that the site is going to achieve its goal should that be selling a product or advertising a service.
Pros
Cons
The freelance designer
Most freelance web designers work alone. This is good as they’re usually more flexible with pricing. They may not have other resources to call upon, such as marketing or SEO, but they do offer a better one-on-one service than a professional company.
Pros
Cons
The Student tying to build his portfolio
Everyone starts here as, in this industry, you can get into a design house without a portfolio. What this means for you is CHEAP (sometimes even free) and a willingness to please.
Pros
Cons
The part time computer enthusiasts
In the Bay Area, pretty much everyone has had some computer experience. What this has spawned is the computer enthusiast that thinks because they published a page online that they can build a website for a business. What it actually means is you will get a site that has no cross platform compatibility, zero search engine optimizing, no collapsible layouts and zero returns on your investment.
Pros
Cons